Symphony No.2 in E major - Ernst von Dohnányi

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Matthias Bamert.

I - Allegro con brio, ma energico e appassionato: 0:00
II - Adagio pastorale, molto con sentimento: 13:42
III - Burla. Allegro: 26:02
IV - Introduzione. Andante - Tema. Adagio - Variazione I. Più mosso (Andante) - Variazione II. Più mosso, animato, risoluto - Variazione III. Meno mosso (quasi il tempo del tema) - Variazione IV. Più mosso, tempestuoso (Circa doppio movimento) - Variazione V. Adagio (mezzo movimento) - Fuga. Adagio ma non troppo - Coda. Andante maestoso - Alla marcia: 30:33

Dohnányi's Symphony No.2 was composed between 1943-4. It was premiered in London on November 23 of 1948, performed by the Chelsea Symphony Orchestra conducted by Norman Del Mar. The composer, dissatisfied with the piece, revised it between 1954-7 in one of his last bursts of creativity. This new version was premiered on March 15 of 1957, performed by the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra conducted by Antal Doráti.

The work was written in a very turbulent period of Dohnányi's life. Hungary was ruled by the regency of admiral Miklós Horthy, and the country gradually turned into a satellite state of Nazi Germany. By 1941, Hungary was part of the Axis as they sent troops in the Russian invasion. As the country appeared to switch sides, Germany invaded in 1944 and put a puppet government in place. However, the Soviet Army invaded the country and turned it into a communist regime as with the rest of Eastern European countries.

Dohnányi did as much as he could to fight the political effects on artistic life during the early years of the war. He managed to keep all the Jewish members of the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra in their posts until as late as March 1944. When Germany took over, he had to disband the orchestra and, a month after the Soviet invasion in October, left Hungary for Austria, a controversial move in the eyes of many of his colleagues and compatriots. After the war he would move to the United States, where he remained until his death on February 9 of 1960.

The first movement is written in sonata form. It begins a dissonant tritone motive that will reappear later on. Over it its built a dissonant and menacing main theme, bursting in a conflicted climax. As the opening motive, it will reappear later on. A lyrical second theme is then presented by violas and woodwinds. Dark Brass phrases and snare drum blows mark the beginning of an intensely dramatic development section. The music culminates in a massive climax, after which the recapitulation proceeds with the main theme on the brass, followed by the second. Finally, after so much struggle, a triumphal coda ends the movement brilliantly.

The second movement is very free in form. It opens with a lyrical, pastoral main theme reminiscent of Dvořák, presented by woodwinds. Follows an expressive and romantic second theme introduced by strings, derived from the main theme of the first movement. After a reexposure of this material, a development begins with a clarinet solo over soft string tremolos and horns. Follows a simple but eerie rhythm set by the harp over rich woodwind solos. After several repetitions of the opening material, the music culminates with several intense climaxes, enhanced by trumpets and timpani. A slow, nostalgic coda ends the movement tenderly.

The third movement is very acid reinterpretation of a scherzo. It begins with a series of grotesque, circus-like series of motives, the main one being a parody of a quick march. It is followed by a completely distorted waltz and a sardonic circus march. These materials are then developed, combined and transformed in various ways with squawking woodwind, whining trumpets and swooning trombones. In a full tutti, the end is abrupt, led to with a brief build-up and accomplished with a final, unrelenting chord.

The fourth movement is structured as a theme and variations (as with Symphony No.1). It opens with a sombre and rhapsodic introduction, derived from the main theme of the first movement. A chorale appears as the main theme on strings: J.S. Bach’s "Komm, süßer Tod, Komm, sel’ge Ruh!" (Come, sweet death, come, blissful peace!). Follows five variations: the first turns the chorale into a series of appoggiaturas as accompaniment to an expressive theme on the horn. The second bursts forth with marcato figures over fragments of the chorale. The third becomes more expansive again. The fourth is tempestuous and rhythmically obsessive, the fifth an incandescently scored adagio. An ambitious fugue on the theme then ensues, combined with the opening motive of the work. A triumphant coda ends the work energetically.

Picture: "Vampires" (1907) by the Hungarian painter István Csók.

Sources: https://rb.gy/ejljq, https://rb.gy/262qu and https://rb.gy/f5e0n

Unfortunately the score is not available.

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